Shoe-flexing machine



A. F. BANCROFT. SHOE ruaxme MACHINE.

1/ APPLICATION FlLED MAY 28. 1919. Patented Feb-17,1920. I /22EETSSHEET 1.

A. F. BANCROFT.

SHOE FLEXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 28, 1919. 1,331,232.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i /2 E WW Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

UNITED STATES ALBERT F. BANCBOFT, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-FLEXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed May 28, 1919. Serial No. 300,320.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. BANCROFT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Flexing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

It is desirable, when a shoe is ofiered for sale, to have the sole, or shoe bottom, as flexible at the ball portion as practicable, and it is frequently attempted to render the sole flexible by bending with the hands.

This method is likely to cause damage to the shoe for several reasons. For example, the greater portion of the bend is liable to be centralized at one point, so that the grain surface of the outer sole is sometimes cracked. Also, bending of the outer sole is likely to cause wrinkles or creases in the inner sole, sock lining, and shoe filler, so that, when the shoe is worn, discomfort to the wearer is caused, or, if the shoe is carefully inspected before it is tried on, these wrinkles are likely to be discovered, so that the sale of the shoe is rendered more difficult. In fact, any bending of the solo, in a manner different from that in which it would be bent when worn, is likely to cause more or less damage to the shoe, particu larly a McKay sewed or a welted shoe.

It follows, therefore, that if a shoe bot tom is to be flexed, to render the same more comfortable to the wearer, when first worn, the flexing operation should approximate, as nearly as possible, to the flexing action which takes place when the shoe is worn. In other words, in order that a shoe may be properly flexed, the bending action thereon should be distributed, so that excessive bending at any one point will be prevented, and that, at the same time, means must be provided for preventing wrinkling or creasing of the inner sole and other portions of the shoe bottom within the outer sole.

The objects of my invention are to provide means for flexing a shoe which will approximate, as closely as possible, to the flexing action, which takes place when the shoe is worn, so that excessive bending at any one point will be prevented, and, also, wrinkling or creasing of the inner side of the shoe bottom. A further object is to provide a machine, for this purpose, which will be of simple construction, easy of oper ation and adapted to be operated by unskilled labor without danger of injury to the shoe.

I accomplish these objects in the manner hereafter described and by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the head portions thereof.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of the sole-engaging mechanism on an enlarged scale, showing the same in diiferent positions.

Fig. 6 is a cross section at line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the upper plate holding means.

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, detail plan and sectional views of the lower bending member.

In the drawing, a simple embodiment of my invention is illustrated, which comprises two sole-engaging members, one of which is movable toward the other.

As shown in the drawing, the frame 2 is provided with a horizontally projecting arm 4, beneath which a bar 6 is mounted to reciprocate vertically on the front side of the frame, and a treadle operated cam 8 is provided for forcing said bar upwardly. A neck 10 is removably mounted on the upper end of the bar 6, said neck being curved to permit ready insertion thereof into the shoe fore part. A head 14: is formed on the upper end of the neck 10, the upper surface of said head being convexlv curved in the form of the exterior of a cvlinder and the length and width thereof corresponding somewhat, but not exactly, to the size of the shoe to be placed thereon, the length of the curved surface approximating to the distance from the front end of the shank to the rear end of the tip, and the width thereof at the widest part being somewhat less than the width of the interior of the shoe, at the ball, which is to be placed thereon. A heavy sheet of material ,12, such as sole leather, is secured by suitin outline, as indicated in Fig. 8, the narrower portion being next the toe of the shoe, when the shoe is placed thereon.

The member comprising the head 14-, and the parts carried thereby, may be termed the male-bending-member.

The corresponding female-bending mem ber comprises a stem 18, which is adapted to be secured in the arm l and to depend therefrom in central vertical alinement with the central point in the surface of the head 14-.

A pair of arms 18 are formed integrally with said stem and extend divergently downward from the lower end thereof, providing a recess, therebetween, the surface of which is cylindrical in form and of uniform width, the width of said surface being as great as, or somewhat greater than the width of the plate 16, at its widest part, and the length thereof at least as great as the length of said plate. A rod 20 is mounted to slide in a vertically disposed socket 18 formed centrally of said stem 18, midway of the arms 18 and a pin 21 is mounted in said rod and extends into a slot 18.formed in said stem, said pin being thereby adapted to prevent the rod 20 from turning and to limit its longitudinal movement. A resilient metal plate 22, of rectangular form, is attached to the rod 20 by means of a cross bar 23, which is rigidly secured to the lower end of said rod, said bar having slotted lugs depending from its underside at its ends, adapted to receive the opposite edge portions of said plate 22, the under surface of said bar and the upper sides of the slots being continuous and the plate being held in position against said surface by means of clamping bolts 23, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A pair of friction rolls 25 are mounted in the extreme ends of the arms 18 to rotate about parallel axes, the arrangement being such that when the pin 21 is resting against the bottom of the slot 18, it will sustain the plate 22 in contact with the rolls 25, which provide a bearing therefor as hereafter described. The width of the plate 22 is somewhat greater than the width of the arms 18 and suliicient to extend throughout the width of the sole of any shoe which is to be operated on in the machine, and the length of said plate is at least equal to the distance between the centers of the rolls 25 measured on the concave surface of the recess between the arms 18.

A spring 26 is located in the socket within the stem 18 between the end of the rod 20 and the bottom of the socket and tends to hold the said rod in its lowest position shown in Fig. 8.

In operating the device, the shoe which is to be flexed is placed on the lower or male member, so that the middle of the plate 16 is located approximately midway between the rear end of the tip portion and the front end of the shank of the shoe, as indicated in Fig. 8. The operator then depresses the treadle, lifting the bar 6 so that the exterior of the sole is pressed against the plate 22, the shoe bottom thus being clamped, at the initial stage of the flexing operation, between the plates 16 and 22.

Further depression of the treadle will cause the application of increased upward pressure to the middle of the plate 16, which pressure is directly transmitted to the sole and to the plate 22, but, as upward movement of said plates, at their ends, is prevented by the arms 18,and is permitted therebetween, both plates and the intervening shoe bottom will be bent upwardly between said arms, over the convex surface of the head, as the latter is forced up between the arms, as indicated in Fig. 4. As the sole is firmly clamped between the plates, while it is thus being bent, it can only be bent on the same curve as that on which the plates are bent, so that excessive bending at any one point is impossible. This bending movement may be continued until the plate 22 is forced against the concave surface of the arms 18 at points midway therebetween, as shown in Fig. 5, a recess 18 being formed in the lower end of the stem 18 to receive the bar 23, when in this position. The band ing action above described is performed against the action of the spring 26, as well as against the resilient action of the plates 16 and 22, said spring 26 acting to cause a particularly strong pressure to be applied formation of objectionable wrinkles therein will be prevented, as will also excessive bending of any portion of the shoe bottom at any point, the flexing action, on the shoe, being much the same as when it is bent while on the foot.

In practice the treadle will not ordinarily be depressed at first, so that the parts will be forced to the full limit of their movements, but for only a portion thereof, after which they will be permitted to spring back to an extent.

By repeating this operation several times, the sole may be rapidly flexed back and forth, the extent to which the sole is flexed being increased on each motion.

The shoe bottom may thus be flexed rapidly without injury thereto, so that when first worn they will not feel stiff, and when tested as to flexibility, before being worn, the probability that they will be damaged will be remote.

Vhile what I consider to be the preferable arrangement of flexing members is shown, it will be understood that it is a matter of no substantial importance, so faras the scope of my invention is concerned, whether the male bending member is moved upwardly, or the female member is moved downwardly, or whether each is moved toward the other, and that particular limitations in the claims to the movement or relative arrangement of either member are made merely as a convenience in expression, movement of one with relation to the other, so as to cause the flexing operation, being the only essential, so far as such limitations are concerned.

I claim:

1. A machine for flexing the soles of a shoe comprising a pair of resilient plates, means for pressing said plates against opposite sides of the sole to clamp the same therebetween and means to flex said plates, while held in pressing engagement with the sole, to flex the sole correspondingly.

2. A machine for flexing shoe bottoms comprising oppositely disposed and correspondingly concave and convex flexing members, a pair of normally flat resilient plates, arranged between said members and in position to engage opposite sides of the shoe bottom, and means to force one of said members toward the other to press said plates against a shoe bottom and cause said plates to be flexed into the concavity of the concave member and about the convex member.

3. A sole-flexing machine comprising a resilient clamping plate arranged for engagement with the outer surface of a sole, stationarily supported abutting means arranged to engage the opposite end portions of said plate to hold such portions against upward movement and to permit the intermediate portions thereof to be flexed upwardly therebetween, and means to press the inner surface of the sole upwardly between the points of engagement of said abutting means.

l. A machine for flexing the bottoms of shoes comprising correspondingly formed convex and concave bending members, adapted to engage the inner and outer sides, respectively, of the shoe bottom, a resilient plate arranged on the surface of said convex member, and yieldingly actuated means for engaging the outer side of the shoe bottom at the middle portion of said concave member, to hold the inner side thereof in engagement with said plate at directly opposite points.

5. A machine for flexing the bottoms of shoes comprising oppositely disposed male and female members, said male member having a convex face and said female member a similarly shaped recess adapted and arranged to receive said male member, a resilient plate supported in position to extend across said recess and to be engaged by said female member at each end thereof, and means to move said male member to press the outer side of the shoe bottom against said plate and thereafter to bend the engaged portion of the shoe bottom, and said plate, into said recess, against the resilient action of the plate.

6. A machine for flexing the bottoms of shoes comprising oppositely disposed male and female members, said male member having a convex face and said female member a similarly shaped recess adapted and arranged to receive said male member, a rod reciprocally mounted in said female member at the middle of said recess, a resilient plate arranged to extend across said recess and connected to the middle portion of said plate, means to limit the motion of said rod to sustain said plate in position to be engaged, at each end, by said female member, at each end of said recess, and means to move said male member to press the shoe bottom against said plate and to bend the same into said recess.

7. A machine for flexing the bottoms of shoes comprising oppositely disposed male and female members, said male member hav ing a convex face and said female member a similarly shaped recess, adapted and an ranged to receive said male member, a rod reciprocally mounted in said female member at the middle of said recess and outwardly spring actuated with relation to the bottom of said recess, a stop for limiting the outward movement of said rod, a flexible plate supported by said rod in position to extend across said recess when said rod is in its outer position, and means to move said male member to bend said plate into said recess against the spring actuation of said rod.

8. A machine for flexing the bottoms of shoes comprising oppositely disposed male and female members, said male member having a convex face and said female member a similarly shaped recess adapted and arranged to receive said male member, a resilient plate supported in position to extend across said recess and to be engaged by said female member at each end thereof, a resilient plate mounted on the middle portion of said male member, and means to move said members relatively to press said plate against opposite sides of the shoe bottom and to bend them into the recess of said female member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT F. BANCROFT. 

